Taylor County Can’t Afford to Lose This Program

I am deeply alarmed by the federal funding cuts that have eliminated the AmeriCorps program at the Boys & Girls Club of North Central Florida in Taylor County, Florida. This decision has abruptly ended support for 50 employees - many of them local students - who provided mentorship, meals, and educational assistance to over 550 children in this community. This region has endured economic hardship from mill closures, devastating hurricanes, and chronic underinvestment. The Boys & Girls Club is one of the few institutions consistently helping the community recover. It gives kids a safe space, academic support, hot meals, and even scholarships to help young people pursue college and careers. As of May 2, much of that lifeline is gone. While you have stated that you are “working with the White House” to address these cuts, the Constitution makes clear that Congress - not the Executive Branch - holds the power of the purse. These funds were lawfully appropriated by Congress. The Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, cannot simply claw them back without due process, and certainly not from one of the most economically distressed areas in Florida. If you truly recognize the seriousness of these cuts, I urge you to take immediate and public action: Use your voice on the floor of Congress to demand the restoration of this funding. Pressure state officials to join the 24 other states challenging these unlawful recissions. Convene oversight hearings to examine how DOGE was given the authority to revoke already-appropriated AmeriCorps funds. Our community needs representation rooted in action - not press statements. These children, families, and workers deserve better than silence while vital services vanish overnight. Please, do the job we elected you to do: fight for us.